Mobile location notifications system and method

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining the location of a mobile merchant, and performing further processing based on the determined location. Transaction data for a transaction conducted by a mobile merchant is electronically received at a server computer. The server computer determines a location of the mobile merchant based on the transaction data, and performs further processing based on the location of the mobile merchant.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/213,225, filed on Jul. 18, 2016, which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/615,199filed Sep. 13, 2012, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/533,942, filed Sep. 13, 2011,” which is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Mobile merchants are an increasingly prevalent phenomenon. Manytraditional stationary merchants (e.g., restaurants, grocery stores,department stores, and the like) are opting to sell goods and servicesat locations other than their usual place of business. For example, somerestaurant owners now operate food trucks in addition to theirstationary dining venues. Food trucks are often more cost-effective thanrestaurants, and the ability to reach customers in numerous locationscan provide owners with substantial financial benefit.

Mobile merchants typically “set up shop” at different locations on aday-to-day basis. Consequently, awareness by potential customers of amobile merchant's location can be an important factor in driving sales.Thus, a mobile merchant may desire a mechanism for notifying consumersof the merchant's location in real-time. Further, mobile merchants maywant to provide instantaneous and dynamic coupons to potentialcustomers. Such coupons may further increase sales revenue. In the caseof mobile merchants that deal in perishable goods, instantaneous couponsmay help reduce the amount of unsold goods that must be discarded at theend of the day.

Moreover, in some circumstances, entities other than consumers may wantto be aware of a mobile merchant's location. For example, a stationarymerchant (e.g., a restaurant) may want to be notified if a mobilemerchant (e.g., a food truck) is conducting transactions nearby. Inresponse to such a notification, the restaurant can take remedialmeasures to prevent losing sales to the food truck. As another example,a mobile merchant that deals in one type of good (e.g., food) andanother mobile merchant that deals in a complimentary type of good(e.g., beverages) may want to be made aware of each other's location sothat the merchants can collaborate by setting up shop at the samelocation.

Embodiments of the invention address the above problems, and otherproblems, individually and collectively.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, apparatuses, andmethods for determining the location of a mobile merchant, andperforming further processing based on the determined location.

One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method performed by aserver computer, the method comprising electronically receivingtransaction data for a transaction conducted by a mobile merchant. Theserver computer determines a location of the mobile merchant based onthe transaction data, and performs further processing based on thelocation of the mobile merchant.

Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a server computercomprising a processor and a computer readable medium coupled to theprocessor. The computer readable medium comprises code executable by aprocessor for implementing a method comprising electronically receivingtransaction data for a transaction conducted by a mobile merchant. Alocation of the mobile merchant is determined based on the transactiondata, and further processing is performed based on the location of themobile merchant.

Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method performed byan access device associated with a mobile merchant, the methodcomprising electronically transmitting transaction data for atransaction conducted by the mobile merchant to a server computerassociated with a payment processing network. The server computerdetermines a location of the mobile merchant based on the transactiondata, and performs further processing based on the location of themobile merchant.

In embodiments of the invention, the further processing may comprise,for example, determining a location of a client device, generating anotification including the location of the mobile merchant, andelectronically transmitting the notification to the client device. Invarious embodiments, the client device may be associated with aconsumer, a stationary merchant, or another mobile merchant. In someembodiments, the further processing may comprise determining that thedistance between the location of the mobile merchant and the location ofthe client device is within a threshold value.

These and other embodiments of the invention are described in furtherdetail below with reference to the Figures and the Detailed Description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a payment processing and notificationsystem according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a payment processing and notificationsystem according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an exemplary mobile access deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a payment processing network accordingto an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method for determining alocation of a mobile merchant, and sending a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant to a client device associated with aconsumer according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method for determining alocation of a mobile merchant, and sending a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant to a client device associated with aconsumer identified based on social network data according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method for determining alocation of a mobile merchant, and sending a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant and coupon data to a client deviceassociated with a consumer according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method for determining alocation of a mobile merchant, and sending a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant to a client device associated with astationary merchant according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method for determining alocation of a first mobile merchant, and sending a notificationincluding the location of the first mobile merchant to a client deviceassociated with a second mobile merchant according to an embodiment ofthe invention.

FIGS. 10A-10B show exemplary notifications according to embodiments ofthe invention.

FIGS. 11A-11B show block diagrams of exemplary portable consumer devicesaccording to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of a computer apparatus according to anembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Prior to discussing embodiments of the invention, a further descriptionof some terms may be helpful in understanding embodiments of theinvention.

As used herein, a “mobile merchant” may include an entity that can sellgoods and/or services, and that can engage in transactions at differentlocations. For example, exemplary mobile merchants can include mobilefood service providers (e.g., food trucks, food delivery services,etc.), door-to-door salesmen, flea market vendors, home serviceproviders (e.g., electricians, carpenters, floor installers, plumbers,gardeners, housekeepers, handymen, etc.), transportation serviceproviders (e.g., taxis, limousines, tow trucks), and the like.

As used herein, a “stationary merchant” may include an entity that cansell goods and/or services, and that generally engages in transactionsat a stationary location. For example, exemplary stationary merchantscan include restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, pharmacies, big boxstores, boutiques, and the like.

As used herein, a “transaction” may include an exchange or transfer ofgoods, services, and/or funds. For example, a transaction may be anexchange between a consumer and a mobile merchant involving theconsumer's purchase of goods and/or services from the mobile merchant.

As used herein, “transaction data” may include data related to one ormore transactions as defined above. For example, transaction data can beincluded in one or more data messages associated with the processing ofan electronic transaction conducted by a mobile merchant such as anauthorization request message, an authorization response message, andthe like. For an electronic transaction conducted by a mobile merchant,the corresponding transaction data can include the location of themobile merchant (e.g., GPS coordinates, address, intersection, monument,landmark, etc.). The transaction data can also include a mobile merchantidentifier (e.g., MVV, DBA, access device identifier, etc.), date, time,authorization amount (e.g., the transaction amount submitted forauthorization), authorization category (e.g., approved, declined,chargeback, etc.), and other information. Transaction data can alsoinclude a unique transaction identifier, transaction class (e.g.,credit, debit, prepaid, etc.), acquirer identifier, acquirer processoridentifier, issuer identifier (e.g., BIN), issuer processor identifier,one or more error codes, cardholder or account holder information (e.g.,name, date of birth, address, phone number, etc.), card verificationvalue (CVV), expiration date, loyalty account information, and otherinformation associated with the transaction.

As used herein, a “server computer” may include a powerful computer orcluster of computers. For example, the server computer can be a largemainframe, a minicomputer cluster, or a group of servers functioning asa unit. In one example, the server computer may be a database servercoupled to a Web server. The server computer may be coupled to one ormore databases and may include any hardware, software, other logic, orcombination of the preceding for servicing the requests from one or moreclient computers. The server computer may comprise one or morecomputational apparatuses and may use any of a variety of computingstructures, arrangements, and compilations for servicing the requestsfrom one or more client computers.

As used herein, a “client device” may include any suitable electronicdevice capable of electronically receiving notifications, such as acomputer (e.g., a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer,etc.), a cellular or wireless phone (e.g., a smart phone), a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a pager, and the like.

As used herein, a “notification” may include any suitable electroniccommunication such as an e-mail, SMS message, instant message, page,telephone call, and the like.

As used herein, a “payment processing network” may include dataprocessing subsystems, networks, and operations used to support anddeliver authorization services, exception file services, and clearingand settlement services. An exemplary payment processing network mayinclude VisaNet™. Payment processing networks such as VisaNet™ are ableto process credit card transactions, debit card transaction, and othertypes of commercial transactions. VisaNet™, in particular, includes aVIP system (Visa Integrated Payments system) which processesauthorization requests and a Base II system which performs clearing andsettlement services.

As used herein, an “acquirer” may include a business entity (e.g., acommercial bank) that has a business relationship with a particularmobile merchant or other entity. As used herein, an “issuer” may includea business entity (e.g., a bank) that maintains financial accounts forconsumers such as individuals, businesses, and other entities, and thatmay issue portable consumer devices such as credit and debit cards toconsumers. Some entities may perform both issuer and acquirer functions.Embodiments of the invention encompass such single entityissuer-acquirers.

As used herein, an “authorization request message” may include a datamessage, or sequence of data messages, that requests an issuer of apayment account to authorize a transaction. An authorization requestmessage according to an embodiment of the invention may comply with ISO(International Organization for Standardization) 8583, which is astandard for systems that exchange electronic transactions made bycardholders using payment cards. An authorization request messageaccording to other embodiments may comply with other suitable standards.

As used herein, an “authorization response message” may include a datamessage, or sequence of data messages, that responds to a merchant'sand/or acquirer's request to authorize a transaction. An authorizationresponse message according to an embodiment of the invention may complywith ISO 8583, which, as described above, is a standard for systems thatexchange electronic transactions made by cardholders using paymentcards. An authorization response message according to other embodimentsmay comply with other suitable standards.

As used herein, a “social network” may include two or more entities(e.g., mobile merchants, stationary merchants, consumers, and the like)that are tied or connected by one or more types of interdependency suchas common interest, personal relationships, financial exchange, and thelike.

As used herein, “coupon data” may include data corresponding to a couponassociated with a benefit provided to a consumer in the context of atransaction as defined above. Such benefits may include a cost deductionfor goods or services (e.g., a percentage deduction, a fixed amountdeduction, etc.), free products or services (e.g., buy 1 get 1 free, buyproduct A get product B free, etc.), and the like. To receive a benefitassociated with a coupon, a consumer may be required to purchase asingle good or service, or multiple goods or services (e.g., anaccumulated coupon). The benefit may be applied to the cost of a singlegood or service, multiple goods or services, or the total cost of allgoods or services associated with a single payment transaction.

Embodiments of the invention are related to systems, apparatuses, andmethods for determining the location of a mobile merchant, andperforming further processing based on the determined location. In someembodiments, the further processing may comprise determining a locationof a client device, generating a notification including the location ofthe mobile merchant, and transmitting the notification to the clientdevice. As described herein, when a consumer makes a purchase at amobile merchant, transaction data including the location of the mobilemerchant can be included in an authorization request message transmittedto a server computer. In some embodiments, the server computer may beassociated with payment processing network configured to processelectronic payment transactions and to provide clearing and settlementservices. Upon receipt of the transaction data, the server computer candetermine the location of the mobile merchant. The server computer canfurther determine the location of a client device associated withanother consumer, a stationary merchant, or another mobile merchant. Anotification including the location of the mobile merchant can begenerated, and the notification can be electronically transmitted to theclient device. In some embodiments, the server computer may determinewhether the distance between the location of the client device and thelocation of the mobile merchant is within a threshold value prior totransmitting the notification to the client device. In some embodiments,coupon data can be received from the mobile merchant and furtherincluded in the transmitted notification.

To illustrate, when a consumer makes a purchase at a mobile merchantusing a portable consumer device (e.g., a credit card, debit card,etc.), the mobile merchant or consumer may swipe or scan the device at amobile access device (e.g., a mobile POS terminal) of the mobilemerchant. The terminal may then generate and transmit an authorizationrequest message to the mobile merchant's acquirer. If the mobile POSterminal is capable of determining its geographic location (e.g., usingGPS circuitry), the generated authorization request message can includethe location of the terminal which may correspond to the location of themobile merchant at the time of the transaction. For example, if thetransaction conducted by the mobile merchant occurs at Location A, thegenerated authorization request message can include geographiccoordinates that correspond to Location A.

Upon receipt by the mobile merchant's acquirer, the authorizationrequest message can be forwarded to a server computer at a paymentprocessing network. The server computer may then access a database toconfirm that the mobile merchant is enrolled in a location notificationservice, and to determine the locations of client devices associatedwith enrolled consumers that have agreed to receive locationnotifications. For example, as part of the enrollment process, aconsumer may register their client device (e.g., a GPS-enabled smartphone) which may periodically transmit its location to the servercomputer. If the distance between the client device (i.e. the consumer)and the mobile merchant is within a threshold value (e.g., 250 yards,0.25 miles, 0.5 miles, 1 mile, etc.), the server computer may generateand transmit a notification (e.g., an SMS text message, e-mail, or thelike) to the consumer's client device, the notification informing theconsumer of the mobile merchant's location (i.e. Location A).

As another illustration, the consumer that conducted the initialtransaction at the mobile merchant may be part of a social networkincluding other consumers, and the database may store correspondingsocial network data. Upon receipt of the authorization request messagefor the transaction, the server computer may determine the identity ofthe consumer based on the identification information included in thetransaction data. The database may then be accessed by the servercomputer to confirm that the consumer has enrolled in the locationnotification service and is part of a social network, and to determinethe location of client devices associated with other enrolled members ofthe consumer's social network. If the distance between a client deviceand the mobile merchant is within a threshold value, the server computermay generate and transmit a notification to the client device associatedwith the member of the consumer's social network, the notificationinforming the member of the mobile merchant's location.

As another illustration, the notification can also include a coupon thatcan be redeemed at the mobile merchant. For example, the mobile merchantcan transmit coupon data to the server computer, the coupon datacorresponding to a discount to be applied to transactions conducted atthe mobile merchant (e.g., 10% off, 25% off, 50% off, etc.). Once thecoupon data is received and the locations of the mobile merchant andconsumer determined, the notification may be generated to include thelocation of the mobile merchant in addition to a representation of thecoupon (e.g., a QR code, bar code, etc.). Upon receipt at the clientdevice, the consumer may redeem the coupon at the mobile merchant.

As another illustration, a stationary merchant (e.g., a restaurant) maywant to be informed of mobile merchants conducting transactions nearby.Upon receipt of the authorization request message for a transactionconducted by a mobile merchant (e.g., a food truck), the server computermay access the database to confirm that the restaurant has enrolled inthe location notification service. For example, the restaurant may haveregistered their location, and requested to receive notifications when afood truck is conducting transactions within a selected distance (e.g.,100 meters). As explained above, the server computer can determine thelocation of the mobile merchant based on the transaction data includedin the authorization request message. The authorization request messagemay further include transaction data (e.g., merchant name, MVV, DBA,etc.) identifying the mobile merchant as a food truck. Upon determiningthat the location of the food truck is within the selected distance(i.e. 100 meters) from the restaurant, the server computer can transmita notification to a registered client device associated with therestaurant, the notification informing the restaurant that the foodtruck is conducting transactions nearby.

As another illustration, mobile merchants offering complimentaryproducts may want to be notified of each other's location. For example,Mobile Merchant A may be a food truck, and Mobile Merchant B may be amobile vendor that sells beverages. Upon receipt of an authorizationrequest message for a transaction conducted by Mobile Merchant A, theserver computer can determine the location of Mobile Merchant A, and canaccess the database to confirm that Mobile Merchant A wants enrolledMobile Merchant B to be notified of its location. In response, theserver computer can generate and transmit a notification to MobileMerchant B, the notification informing Mobile Merchant B of MobileMerchant A's location.

I. Exemplary Systems

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a payment processing and notificationsystem 100 that may be used in an embodiment of the invention. System100 may include a consumer 102, a portable consumer device 104, a mobileaccess device 106 associated with a mobile merchant 108, an acquirercomputer 110, a payment processing network 112, an issuer computer 114,and a client device 116 associated with a consumer 118.

Consumers 102 and 118 may each be an individual, or an organization suchas a business that is capable of purchasing goods or services.

The portable consumer device 104 may be in any suitable form. Forexample, in embodiments of the invention, a suitable portable consumerdevice may be hand-held and compact so that it can fit into a consumer'swallet and/or pocket (e.g., pocket-sized). The portable consumer device104 may include a processor, and memory, input devices, and outputdevices, operatively coupled to the processor. Specific examples ofportable consumer devices may include cellular or wireless phones,personal digital assistants (PDAs), pagers, portable computers, smartcards, and the like. The portable consumer device 104 may also be adebit device (e.g., a debit card), credit device (e.g., a credit card),or stored value device (e.g., a pre-paid or stored value card).

The mobile merchant 108 may be an entity that can sell goods and/orservices, and that can engage in transactions at different locations.The mobile merchant 108 may be associated with a mobile access device106 which may be in any suitable form. Exemplary mobile access devicescan include mobile point of sale (POS) devices, cellular phones (e.g.,smart phones), PDAs, personal computers (PCs), tablet PCs, handheldspecialized readers, set-top boxes, electronic cash registers, ATMs,virtual cash registers, kiosks, security systems, access systems, andthe like. If mobile access device 106 is a mobile POS terminal, anysuitable POS terminal may be used including card or phone readers. Thecard or phone readers may include any suitable contact or contactlessmode of operation. For example, exemplary readers can include RF (radiofrequency) antennas, magnetic stripe readers, etc. to interact withportable consumer device 104.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of mobile access device 106 according to anembodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 3, mobile access device106 may comprise a processor 106(a). It may also comprise a computerreadable medium 106(b), a card reader 106(c), a memory 106(d), a networkinterface 106(e), an output device 106(f), a location module 106(g), anda messaging module 106(h), all operatively coupled to processor 106(a).A housing may house one or more of these components. Output device106(f) may include a display and/or an audio output device such as oneor more speakers. Computer readable medium 106(b) may include one ormore memory chips, disk drives, etc. Card reader 106(c) of mobile accessdevice 106 may include one or more radio frequency (RF) antennas,magnetic stripe readers, etc., that can interact with portable consumerdevice 104.

Messaging module 106(h) may be configured to generate authorizationrequest messages and/or to receive authorization response messages.Network interface 106(e) may be configured to cooperate with messagingmodule 106(h) to facilitate the exchange of authorization messages withacquirers, issuers, processors, and/or payment processing networks.

As described above, mobile access device 106 can include location module106(g). In some embodiments, location module 106(g) may include softwareand/or hardware for determining a geographic location of mobile accessdevice 106. For example, location module 106(g) may utilize a GlobalPositioning System (GPS), cellular phone tower triangulation data,cellular phone tower signal strength data, wireless access pointlocation data, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, or any other suitablemeans for determining a geographic location of mobile access device 106.

In some embodiments, location module 106(g) may cooperate with messagingmodule 106(h) to generate authorization request messages including thegeographic location of mobile access device 106 at the time of atransaction. For example, location module 106(g) may determine thegeographic location of mobile access device 106, and transmit thelocation to messaging module 106(h) for insertion into an authorizationrequest message. In some embodiments, messaging module 106(h) maygenerate an authorization request message including a location field,and insert the geographic location of mobile access device 106 as a dataelement into the location field. The geographic location may beinserted, for example, as geographic coordinates (e.g., GPS coordinates)and/or an address, intersection, monument, landmark, town, city, state,etc. In some embodiments, messaging module 106(h) can insert thegeographic location of mobile access device 106 into an ISO 8583 message

Returning to FIG. 1, mobile access device 106 may be communicativelycoupled with acquirer computer 110. Acquirer computer 110 may beoperated by an acquirer which may be a business entity (e.g., acommercial bank) that has a business relationship with mobile merchant108 or other entity. The acquirer may facilitate authorization,settling, and clearing of electronic payment transactions for mobilemerchant 108.

Payment processing network 112 may include data processing subsystems,networks, and operations used to support and deliver authorizationservices, exception file services, and clearing and settlement services.An exemplary payment processing network may include VisaNet™. Paymentprocessing networks such as VisaNet™ are able to process credit cardtransactions, debit card transaction, and other types of commercialtransactions. VisaNet™, in particular, includes a VIP system (VisaIntegrated Payments system) which processes authorization requests and aBase II system which performs clearing and settlement services.

Issuer computer 114 may be operated by an issuer which may be a businessentity (e.g., a bank) that maintains financial accounts for consumerssuch as individuals, businesses, and other entities, and that may issueportable consumer devices such as credit and debit cards to consumers.For example, the issuer that operates issuer computer 114 may issueportable consumer device 104 to consumer 102.

Client device 116 may include any suitable electronic device capable ofelectronically receiving notifications, such as a computer (e.g., adesktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, etc.), a cellular orwireless phone (e.g., a smart phone), a personal digital assistant(PDA), a pager, and the like.

In a purchase transaction, consumer 102 may purchase goods or servicesat mobile merchant 108 using the portable consumer device 104 which mayinclude a smartphone, credit card, debit card, prepaid card, etc.Consumer 102 or mobile merchant 108 may cause portable consumer device104 to interact with mobile access device 106 which may include a mobilePOS terminal. For example, consumer 102 may take a debit card and swipeit though an appropriate slot in the POS terminal.

Alternatively, the POS terminal may be a contactless reader, andportable consumer device 104 may be a contactless device such as acontactless card or phone. For example, consumer 102 may take acontactless card or a phone and pass it in front of the contactlessreader to transmit financial information stored on the device.

An authorization request message may then be generated by mobile accessdevice 106 including the geographic location of mobile access device 106(and hence the location of mobile merchant 108) and other transactiondata (e.g., the transaction date, time, authorization amount, MW, DBA,etc.). The authorization request message may be transmitted by mobileaccess device 106 to acquirer computer 110. Upon receipt, acquirercomputer 110 may transmit the authorization request message to paymentprocessing network 112. The authorization request message may then betransmitted by payment processing network 112 to issuer computer 114.

After receiving the authorization request message, issuer computer 114may perform a number of authorization, authentication, and frauddetection processes in order to make an authorization decision. Issuercomputer 114 may then generate and send an authorization responsemessage to payment processing network 112 indicating whether thetransaction is approved. Payment processing network 112 may transmit theauthorization response message to acquirer computer 110 which may thenforward the authorization response message back to mobile access device106.

Upon receipt of the authorization response message, mobile access device106 may provide a representation of the authorization response messageto consumer 102 on a display or printed out on a receipt.

At the end of the day, a normal clearing and settlement process may beconducted by payment processing network 112 in cooperation with issuercomputer 114 and acquirer computer 110. A clearing process can be aprocess of exchanging financial details between an acquirer and anissuer to facilitate posting to a consumer's account and reconciliationof the consumer's settlement position. A settlement process can be aprocess of transferring funds between an acquirer and issuer. In someembodiments, authorization and settlement can occur simultaneously.

Payment processing network 112 may determine the location of mobilemerchant 108 based on the transaction data included in the authorizationrequest message for the transaction described above, and transmit anotification including the determined location to a client deviceassociated with a nearby consumer. In some embodiments, the location ofmobile merchant 108 can also be determined based on transaction dataincluded in the authorization response message transmitted by issuercomputer 114. Upon determining the location of mobile merchant 108,payment processing network 112 may determine the location of clientdevice 116 associated with consumer 118. If it is determined that thedistance between mobile merchant 106 and client device 116 is within athreshold value, payment processing network 112 can generate andtransmit a notification to client device 116, the notification informingconsumer 118 of the location of mobile merchant 108.

In embodiments of the invention, as shown in FIG. 2, a locationnotification can also be transmitted by payment processing network 112to a stationary merchant and/or another mobile merchant. FIG. 2 shows ablock diagram of a payment processing and notification system 200according to an embodiment of the invention. System 200 may includefirst consumer 102, portable consumer device 104, mobile access device106, mobile merchant 108, acquirer computer 110, payment processingnetwork 112, and issuer computer 114 shown in FIG. 1. Further, as shownin FIG. 2, system 200 can also include a client device 202 associatedwith a stationary merchant 204, and a client device 206 associated witha mobile merchant 208. In embodiments of the invention, stationarymerchant 204 may be an entity that can sell goods and/or services, andthat generally engages in transactions at a stationary location. Forexample, exemplary stationary merchants may include restaurants, cafes,supermarkets, pharmacies, big box stores, boutiques, and the like.Payment processing network 112 may determine the location of mobilemerchant 108 based on the transaction data included in the authorizationrequest message (and/or authorization response message) received for thetransaction described above. Upon determining that the distance betweenmobile merchant 108 and stationary merchant 204 is within a thresholdvalue, for example, a notification including the location of mobilemerchant 108 can be transmitted to client device 202 associated withstationary merchant 204. In embodiments of the invention, a notificationincluding the location of mobile merchant 108 can also be sent to clientdevice 206 associated with mobile merchant 208. The components andfunctionalities of payment processing network 112 according to variousembodiments of the invention are described in further detail below andshown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a payment processing network 112according to an embodiment of the invention. For simplicity ofdiscussion, only one of each component is shown for several of thecomponents. It is to be understood, however, that embodiments of theinvention may include more than one of each component. In addition, someembodiments of the invention may include fewer than all of thecomponents shown in FIG. 4. The various components shown in FIG. 4 mayeach be located within payment processing network 112, outside paymentprocessing network 112, and/or distributed across different locations.Further, the components in FIG. 4 may communicate via any suitablecommunication medium such as the Internet using any suitablecommunication protocol.

Payment processing network 112 may include a server computer 402 incommunication with mobile access device 106, acquirer computer 110, andissuer computer 114 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Server computer 402 may alsobe in communication with client device 116 associated with consumer 118shown in FIG. 1, and with client device 202 associated with stationarymerchant 204, and client device 206 associate with mobile merchant 208shown in FIG. 2. Further, server computer 402 may be in communicationwith one or more acquirer processor computers and issuer processorcomputers (not shown) operated by one or more acquirer processors andissuer processors, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, server computer 402 may include an authorizationmodule 404, a location module 406, and a notification module 408. Thevarious modules may be embodied by computer code residing on a computerreadable medium. Server computer 402 may be operatively coupled to oneor more databases, including database 410.

Authorization module 404 may perform various functions related toreceiving and forwarding authorization request and response messages,processing transaction data included in such authorization messages, andconfirming a mobile merchant's enrollment in a location notificationservice according to embodiments of the invention. Upon receiving anauthorization request message for a transaction conducted by mobilemerchant 108 from acquirer computer 110, authorization module 404 mayforward the authorization request message to issuer computer 114 forauthorization of the transaction. If an authorization response messagefor the transaction is received from issuer computer 114, authorizationmodule 404 may route the authorization response message to mobile accessdevice 106 via acquirer computer 110. As described herein, theauthorization request and/or response messages can include transactiondata such as the location and identifying information for mobilemerchant 108. Upon receipt of an authorization request message, forexample, authorization module 404 can extract the location andidentifying information for mobile merchant 108 from the transactiondata contained in the authorization request message. Authorizationmodule 404 may then access database 410, and utilize the receivedidentifying information to determine whether mobile merchant 108 isenrolled in a location notification service. If mobile merchant 108 isnot enrolled, authorization module 404 can forward the authorizationrequest message to issuer computer 114 for authorization of thetransaction. If, however, authorization module 404 determines thatmobile merchant 108 is enrolled in the location notification service,authorization module 404 may also transmit the location and identifyinginformation for mobile merchant 108 to location module 406 for furtherprocessing.

Location module 406 may perform various functions related to determiningthe location of enrolled consumers, stationary merchants, and mobilemerchants, determining whether distance thresholds have been met,determining notification preferences, processing and storing locationdata received from client devices, determining the current location ofclient devices, processing social network data, processing coupon data,and communicating with notification module 408 to transmit notificationsto client devices. For example, upon receiving the location andidentifying information for mobile merchant 108 from authorizationmodule 404, location module 406 can access database 410 to determine ifa notification including the location of mobile merchant 108 is to betransmitted to consumer 118, stationary merchant 204, and/or mobilemerchant 208 via their respective client devices. Such determination mayinclude determining whether the distance between the location of mobilemerchant 108 and a client device is within a threshold value. Inembodiments of the invention, threshold values may be set based onpreferences provided during an enrollment process, best practice values,recommended values, default values, etc. In some embodiments, locationmodule 406 may receive and process location data for consumers,stationary merchants, and mobile merchants, and store the location datain database 410. For example, location data such as one or more physicaladdresses (e.g., street addresses) can be provided during the enrollmentprocess and stored in database 410 by location module 406. In someembodiments, a client device may periodically transmit or “push” itslocation (e.g., as geographic coordinates) to server computer 402 forstorage in database 410 by location module 406. In some embodiments, anapplication (e.g., a smartphone application) running on a client devicemay be utilized to push the location of the client device to servercomputer 402. In other embodiments, location module 406 of servercomputer 402 may periodically establish communication with client device116 to request or “pull” the location data from client device 116 forstorage in database 410.

Location module 406 may also access database 410 to determinepreferences such as client device addresses (e.g., phone numbers, e-mailaddress, IP addresses, etc.), notification format types (e.g., SMS,e-mail, or the like), the type or category of mobile merchants for whichnotifications are to be provided (e.g., food, beverage, dessert,souvenirs, and the like), and other preferences. In some embodiments,location module 406 may be configured to determine social network datafor a consumer, stationary merchant, or mobile merchant as stored indatabase 410. Such social network data may include identifyinginformation, the location and client device addresses, and otherinformation for members of a social network that are to receive anotification. Location module 406 may be further configured to receivecoupon data from a mobile merchant, and to transmit the coupon data tonotification module 408 for inclusion in a notification.

When location module 406 determines that a notification is to betransmitted to a consumer, stationary merchant, or mobile merchant,location module 406 may transmit various information to notificationmodule 408. For example, based on the transaction data included in the areceived authorization request message for a transaction conducted at amobile merchant, location module 406 may provide notification module 408with the location of the mobile merchant. In some embodiments, if thelocation included in the original transaction data is received asgeographic coordinates, location module 406 may first convert thegeographic coordinates into a more convenient format before transmittingthe location to notification module 408. For example, location module406 may map the geographic coordinates to an address, intersection,monument, landmark, and the like, and transmit the reformatted locationfor the mobile merchant to notification module 408. In some embodiments,location module 406 may also provide notification module 408 with anidentifier for the mobile merchant (e.g., a merchant name, MW, DBA, andthe like), a type or category for the mobile merchant, a client deviceaddress, a notification format type, and any other suitable informationincluded in the received transaction data or stored as a preference indatabase 410. If coupon data is received from the mobile merchant, suchdata may also be transmitted to notification module 408 for inclusion ina notification.

Notification module 408 may perform various functions related togenerating and transmitting notifications to consumers, stationarymerchants, and/or mobile merchants. As described above, notificationmodule 408 can receive location data for a mobile merchant, a mobilemerchant identifier, a mobile merchant type or category, a client deviceaddress, a notification format type, coupon data, and other informationfrom location module 406. Upon receipt, notification module 408 cangenerate a notification including the location of the mobile merchant,and other information received from location module 406. In embodimentsof the invention, notifications can be transmitted in any suitableelectronic form such as an e-mail, SMS message, instant message, page,telephone call, and the like.

II. Exemplary Methods

FIGS. 5-9 illustrate flow diagrams for methods 500-900. The steps ofmethods 500-900 may be performed, for example, by server computer 402shown in FIG. 4. In other embodiments of the invention, one or moresteps of methods 500-900 may be performed by any other suitable computersystem, such as mobile access device 106, acquirer computer 110, issuercomputer 114, and/or client devices 116, 202, and 206 shown in FIGS. 1and 2. In some embodiments, one or more steps of method 500 may beperformed by an issuer processor computer, an acquirer processorcomputer, or any other suitable computer system.

As described above, when a transaction is conducted at a mobilemerchant, the merchant's mobile access device can generate anauthorization request message including transaction data such as thelocation of the mobile access device at the time of the transaction. Forexample, the merchant's mobile access device may utilize a GlobalPosition System (GPS), cellular phone tower triangulation data, cellularphone tower signal strength data, wireless access point location data,an Internet Protocol (IP) address, or any other suitable means fordetermining a geographic location of the mobile access device. In someembodiments, a mobile access device may generate an authorizationrequest message for a transaction including a location field, and insertthe geographic location of the mobile access device as a data elementinto the location field. The geographic location may be inserted, forexample, as GPS coordinates and/or an address, intersection, monument,landmark, town, city, state, etc. In some embodiments, a mobile accessdevice can insert the geographic location into an ISO 8583 message. Asfurther described above, an authorization request message generated forthe transaction may further include other transaction data such as anidentifier for the mobile merchant (e.g., merchant name, MW, DBA, andthe like), a type or category of the mobile merchant (e.g., food, foodtype, beverages, dessert, souvenirs, and the like), an authorizationamount, time, date, and other information related to the transaction. Insome embodiments, transaction data may be generated and transmitted byother entities shown in FIGS. 1-2. For example, transaction dataincluding the time, date, location, and other information for atransaction may be included in an authorization response messagereceived by server computer 402 from issuer computer 114.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method 500 for determining alocation of a mobile merchant, and sending a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant to a client device associated with aconsumer according to an embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 5, at step 502, method 500 may begin by server computer 402receiving transaction data for a transaction conducted by a mobilemerchant. As described above, in embodiments of the invention, thetransaction data may be included as part of an authorization requestmessage for the transaction. To illustrate, referring back to FIG. 1,consumer 102 may initiate the transaction with mobile merchant 108 byswiping or scanning portable consumer device 104 at mobile access device106. If, for example, mobile merchant 108 is located at Location A,mobile access device 106 can generate the authorization request messageto include geographic coordinates for Location A. Mobile access device106 may then transmit the authorization request message to acquirercomputer 110, which may forward the message to server computer 402 ofpayment processing network 112.

In embodiments of the invention, at step 502, server computer 402 mayconfirm that the mobile merchant is enrolled in a location notificationservice. For example, the transaction data included in the authorizationrequest message may further include an identifier of the mobilemerchant. Upon receipt of the authorization request message,authorization module 404 may access database 410 to determine whetherthe mobile merchant is enrolled. If it is determined that the mobilemerchant is not enrolled, authorization module 404 may simply forwardthe authorization request message to issuer computer 114 forauthorization of the transaction. If, however, the mobile merchant isenrolled in the location notification service, method 500 may proceed tostep 504.

At step 504, server computer 402 may determine the location of themobile merchant based on the received transaction data. For example, ifthe transaction data is received as part of an authorization requestmessage, authorization module 404 of server computer 402 may analyze theauthorization request message to determine the location of the mobilemerchant as included in the transaction data. Referring back to theabove illustration, authorization module 404 may analyze the geographiccoordinates included in the authorization request message generated andtransmitted by access device 106, and determine that mobile merchant 108is currently conducting transactions at Location A.

At step 506, server computer 402 may determine the location of a clientdevice associated with a consumer. For example, location module 406 mayaccess database 410 to determine the locations of client devicesassociated with consumers enrolled in the location notification service.The location of the client devices, as stored in database 410, may bereceived in a number of different ways according to various embodimentsof the invention. In some embodiments, the client device may transmit or“push” its location to server computer 402. In some embodiments, servercomputer may 402 transmit a request to the client device for thedevice's location, i.e. by a “pull” process. In response, the clientdevice may transmit its location to server computer 402. In either case,the location may be transmitted by the client device periodically, basedon a schedule established by the consumer or mobile merchant, inresponse to the consumer interacting with an application running on theclient device, or by any other suitable mechanism according toembodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments, at step 506, location module 406 may determinewhether the distance between the location of the mobile merchant and thelocation of the client device is within a threshold value. For example,during the enrollment process, the consumer and/or mobile merchant mayprovide a threshold distance value (e.g., 250 yards, 0.25 miles, 0.5miles, 1 mile, etc.). Threshold distance values may also be determinedby recommended values, best practice values, default values, etc. Iflocation module 406 determines that the distance between the clientdevice and the mobile merchant exceeds the threshold value, in someembodiments, a notification may not be transmitted, and theauthorization request message may simply be forwarded to issuer computer114 for authorization of the transaction. If, however, the distancebetween the mobile merchant and the client device is within thethreshold value, method 500 may proceed to step 508. Referring back tothe above illustration, location module 406 may access database 410 anddetermine that client device 116 is located 0.4 miles away from LocationA where mobile merchant 108 is currently conducting transactions, andthat the threshold distance value established by consumer 118 during theenrollment process is 0.5 miles. Since the distance between clientdevice 116 and Location A is within the threshold distance value, method500 may proceed to step 508.

It should be noted that in some embodiments of the invention, a mobilemerchant category or type may also be considered when determiningwhether to transmit a location notification to the consumer. Forexample, during enrollment, the consumer may establish that they desireto receive location notifications only for mobile merchants that sell aparticular type of food, beverage, or the like. Thus, before proceedingto step 508, location module 406 may access database 410 to furtherconfirm that the mobile merchant is of a particular category or type forwhich the consumer desires to receive location notifications.

At step 508, server computer 402 may generate a notification includingthe location of the mobile merchant. For example, at step 508, locationmodule 406 may transmit the location of the mobile merchant, anidentifier of the mobile merchant, and other information to notificationmodule 408. In some embodiments, if the location of the mobile merchantis received as geographic coordinates, location module 406 may firstconvert the location into a format more convenient for the consumer. Forexample, location module 406 may map the geographic coordinates to anaddress, intersection, landmark, monument, etc., and transmit thereformatted location information to notification module 408. Locationmodule 406 may also provide notification module 408 with variousconsumer preferences stored in database 410 such as a client deviceaddress (e.g., phone number, e-mail address, IP address, etc.), anotification format type (e.g., e-mail, SMS, etc.), and any othersuitable consumer preference. Notification module 408 may then generatea notification including the location of the mobile merchant. Referringback to the above illustration, at step 508, location module 406 maydetermine that consumer 118 prefers to receive notifications in the formof an SMS message. Upon transmitting this preference to notificationmodule 408 along with the location of mobile merchant 108, notificationmodule 408 may generate an SMS message indicating that mobile merchant108 is currently conducting transactions at Location A.

At step 510, server computer 402 may transmit the notification includingthe location of the mobile merchant to the client device. According toembodiments of the invention, the notification can be transmitted usingany suitable electronic communication channel and in any suitableelectronic form such as an e-mail, SMS message, instant message, page,telephone call, and the like. Referring back to the above illustration,at step 510, notification module 408 may transmit the notification toclient device 116 as an SMS text message, the notification informingconsumer 118 that mobile merchant 108 is currently conductingtransaction at Location A.

In embodiments of the invention, social network data may also beanalyzed to identify consumers to which a notification is to be sent.FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method 600 for determining alocation of a mobile merchant, and sending a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant to a client device associated with aconsumer identified based on social network data according to anembodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 6, at step 602, method 600 may begin by server computer 402receiving transaction data for a transaction conducted by a mobilemerchant and a first consumer. As described above, in embodiments of theinvention, the transaction data may be included as part of anauthorization request message for the transaction. To illustrate,referring back to FIG. 1, consumer 102 may initiate the transaction withmobile merchant 108 by swiping or scanning portable consumer device 104at mobile access device 106. If, for example, mobile merchant 108 islocated at Location A, mobile access device 106 can generate theauthorization request message to include geographic coordinates forLocation A. Mobile access device 106 may then transmit the authorizationrequest message to acquirer computer 110, which may forward the messageto server computer 402 of payment processing network 112.

In embodiments of the invention, at step 602, server computer 402 mayconfirm that the mobile merchant is enrolled in a location notificationservice. For example, the transaction data included in the authorizationrequest message may further include an identifier of the mobilemerchant. Upon receipt of the authorization request message,authorization module 404 may access database 410 to determine whetherthe mobile merchant is enrolled. If it is determined that the mobilemerchant is not enrolled, authorization module 404 may simply forwardthe authorization request message to issuer computer 114 forauthorization of the transaction. If, however, the mobile merchant isenrolled in the location notification service, method 600 may proceed tostep 604.

At step 604, server computer 402 may determine the location of themobile merchant based on the received transaction data. For example, ifthe transaction data is received as part of an authorization requestmessage, authorization module 404 of server computer 402 may analyze theauthorization request message to determine the location of the mobilemerchant as included in the transaction data. Referring back to theabove illustration, authorization module 404 may analyze the geographiccoordinates included in the authorization request message generated andtransmitted by access device 106, and determine that mobile merchant 108is currently conducting transactions at Location A.

Server computer 402, at step 606, may determine that the first consumeris associated with a social network. For example, the transaction dataincluded in the authorization request message may include identificationinformation for the first consumer. Using such identificationinformation, location module 406 may access database 410 to confirmenrollment by the first consumer in the location notification service.Upon confirming enrollment, location module 406 may determine that thefirst consumer is associated with a social network based on socialnetwork data stored in database 410. At step 608, server computer 402may determine that a second consumer is also associated with the socialnetwork. Referring back to the above illustration, at steps 606 and 608,location module 406 may access database 410 and determine that consumer102 is associated with a social network, and that consumer 118 is alsoassociated with the social network.

At step 610, server computer 402 may determine the location of a clientdevice associated with the second consumer. As explained above withrespect to FIG. 5, the location of a client device, as stored indatabase 410, may be received in a number of different ways according tovarious embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the clientdevice may transmit or “push” its location to server computer 402. Insome embodiments, server computer may 402 transmit a request to theclient device for the device's location, i.e. by a “pull” process. Inresponse, the client device may transmit its location to server computer402. In either case, the location may be transmitted by the clientdevice periodically, based on a schedule established by the consumer ormobile merchant, in response to the consumer interacting with anapplication running on the client device, or by any other suitablemechanism according to embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments, at step 610, location module 406 may determinewhether the distance between the location of the mobile merchant and thelocation of the client device associated with the second consumer iswithin a threshold value. For example, during the enrollment process, aconsumer and/or mobile merchant may provide a threshold distance value(e.g., 250 yards, 0.25 miles, 0.5 miles, 1 mile, etc.). Thresholddistance values may also be determined by recommended values, bestpractice values, default values, etc. If location module 406 determinesthat the distance between the client device associated with the secondconsumer and the mobile merchant exceeds the threshold value, in someembodiments, a notification may not be transmitted, and theauthorization request message may simply be forwarded to issuer computer114 for authorization of the transaction. If, however, the distancebetween the mobile merchant and the client device associated with thesecond consumer is within the threshold value, method 600 may proceed tostep 612. Referring back to the above illustration, at step 610,location module 406 may access database 410 and determine that clientdevice 116 associated with consumer 118 is located 0.3 miles away fromLocation A where mobile merchant 108 is currently conductingtransactions, and that the threshold distance value established byconsumer 118 during the enrollment process is 0.5 miles. Since thedistance between client device 116 and Location A is within thethreshold distance value, method 600 may proceed to step 612.

As explained above, in some embodiments of the invention, a mobilemerchant category or type may also be considered when determiningwhether to transmit a location notification to the second consumer. Forexample, during enrollment, in addition to providing social networkdata, the second consumer may establish that they desire to receivelocation notifications only for mobile merchants that sell food,beverages, etc. In some embodiments, restrictions on the type orcategory of mobile merchants may also be selected by the first consumer.In either case, before proceeding to step 612, location module 406 mayaccess database 410 to further confirm that the mobile merchant is of aparticular category or type.

At step 612, server computer 402 may generate a notification includingthe location of the mobile merchant. For example, at step 612, locationmodule 406 may transmit the location of the mobile merchant, anidentifier of the mobile merchant, and other information to notificationmodule 408. In some embodiments, as described above with respect to FIG.5, if the location of the mobile merchant is received as geographiccoordinates, location module 406 may first convert the location into aformat more convenient for the consumer such as an address,intersection, landmark, monument, etc., and transmit the reformattedlocation information to notification module 408. Location module 406 mayalso provide notification module 408 with various preferences for thesecond consumer stored in database 410 such as a client device address(e.g., phone number, e-mail address, IP address, etc.), a notificationformat type (e.g., e-mail, SMS, etc.), and any other suitable consumerpreference. Notification module 408 may then generate a notificationincluding the location of the mobile merchant. Referring back to theabove illustration, at step 612, location module 406 may determine thatconsumer 118 prefers to receive notifications in the form of an e-mailmessage. Upon transmitting this preference to notification module 408along with the location of mobile merchant 108, notification module 408may generate an e-mail message indicating that mobile merchant 108 iscurrently conducting transactions at Location A.

At step 614, server computer 402 may transmit the notification includingthe location of the mobile merchant to the client device associated withthe second consumer. According to embodiments of the invention, thenotification can be transmitted in any suitable electronic form such asan e-mail, SMS message, instant message, page, telephone call, and thelike. Referring back to the above illustration, at step 614,notification module 408 may transmit the notification to client device116 as an e-mail message, the notification informing consumer 118 thatmobile merchant 108 is currently conducting transaction at Location A.

Mobile merchants may also desire to provide potential customers withreal-time dynamic coupons. For example, in the case of perishable goods,a mobile merchant may want to provide discounts or other promotions forspecific goods to reduce the amount of unsold perishable goods that mustbe discarded at the end of the day. In some embodiments, such couponsmay be transmitted to consumers as part of a location notification.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method 700 for determining alocation of a mobile merchant, and sending a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant and coupon data to a client deviceassociated with a consumer according to an embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 7, at step 702, method 700 may begin by server computer 402receiving transaction data for a transaction conducted by a mobilemerchant. As described above, in embodiments of the invention, thetransaction data may be included as part of an authorization requestmessage for the transaction. To illustrate, referring back to FIG. 1,consumer 102 may initiate the transaction with mobile merchant 108 byswiping or scanning portable consumer device 104 at mobile access device106. If, for example, mobile merchant 108 is located at Location A,mobile access device 106 can generate the authorization request messageto include geographic coordinates for Location A. Mobile access device106 may then transmit the authorization request message to acquirercomputer 110, which may forward the message to server computer 402 ofpayment processing network 112.

In embodiments of the invention, at step 702, server computer 402 mayconfirm that the mobile merchant is enrolled in a location notificationservice. For example, the transaction data included in the authorizationrequest message may further include an identifier of the mobilemerchant. Upon receipt of the authorization request message,authorization module 404 may access database 410 to determine whetherthe mobile merchant is enrolled. If it is determined that the mobilemerchant is not enrolled, authorization module 404 may simply forwardthe authorization request message to issuer computer 114 forauthorization of the transaction. If, however, the mobile merchant isenrolled in the location notification service, method 700 may proceed tostep 704.

At step 704, server computer 402 may determine the location of themobile merchant based on the received transaction data. For example, ifthe transaction data is received as part of an authorization requestmessage, authorization module 404 of server computer 402 may analyze theauthorization request message to determine the location of the mobilemerchant as included in the transaction data. Referring back to theabove illustration, authorization module 404 may analyze the geographiccoordinates included in the authorization request message generated andtransmitted by access device 106, and determine that mobile merchant 108is currently conducting transactions at Location B.

At step 706, server computer 402 may receive coupon data from the mobilemerchant. For example, the mobile merchant may transmit a message toserver computer 402 via a smartphone application or by accessing a webinterface, the message including coupon data identifying a discount orother promotion to be applied to some or all transactions conducted atthe mobile merchant. The coupon data may be transmitted over anysuitable electronic communication medium such as the Internet. Referringback to the above illustration, at step 706, mobile access device 106may be a smartphone, and mobile merchant 108 may utilize an applicationrunning on the smartphone to transmit coupon data to server computer402. Mobile merchant 108 may, for example, specialize in selling pizzaslices, and if a large number of pepperoni pizza slices have beenprepared but not sold, mobile merchant 108 may transmit coupon dataassociated with a 50% discount on pepperoni pizza slices to servercomputer 402. The coupon data may be processed, for example, by locationmodule 406, and the method may then proceed to step 708.

At step 708, server computer 402 may determine the location of a clientdevice associated with a consumer. For example, location module 406 mayaccess database 410 to determine the locations of client devicesassociated with consumers enrolled in the location notification service.As explained above with respect to FIGS. 5-6, the location of the clientdevices, as stored in database 410, may be received in a number ofdifferent ways according to various embodiments of the invention. Insome embodiments, the client device may transmit or “push” its locationto server computer 402. In some embodiments, server computer may 402transmit a request to the client device for the device's location, i.e.by a “pull” process. In response, the client device may transmit itslocation to server computer 402. In either case, the location may betransmitted by the client device periodically, based on a scheduleestablished by the consumer or mobile merchant, in response to theconsumer interacting with an application running on the client device,or by any other suitable mechanism according to embodiments of theinvention.

In some embodiments, at step 708, location module 406 may determinewhether the distance between the location of the mobile merchant and thelocation of the client device is within a threshold value. For example,during the enrollment process, a consumer and/or mobile merchant mayprovide a threshold distance value (e.g., 250 yards, 0.25 miles, 0.5miles, 1 mile, etc.). Threshold distance values may also be determinedby recommended values, best practice values, default values, etc. Iflocation module 406 determines that the distance between the clientdevice and the mobile merchant exceeds the threshold value, in someembodiments, a notification may not be transmitted, and theauthorization request message may simply be forwarded to issuer computer114 for authorization of the transaction. If, however, the distancebetween the mobile merchant and the client device is within thethreshold value, method 700 may proceed to step 710. Referring back tothe above illustration, at step 708, location module 406 may accessdatabase 410 and determine that client device 116 is located 0.2 milesaway from Location B where mobile merchant 108 is currently conductingtransactions, and that the threshold distance value established byconsumer 118 during the enrollment process is 0.5 miles. Since thedistance between client device 116 and Location B is within thethreshold distance value, method 700 may proceed to step 710.

It should be noted that in some embodiments of the invention, a mobilemerchant category or type may also be considered when determiningwhether to transmit a location notification to the consumer. Forexample, during enrollment, the consumer may establish that they desireto receive location notifications only for mobile merchants that sellfood, beverages, etc. Thus, before proceeding to step 710, locationmodule 406 may access database 410 to further confirm that the mobilemerchant is of a particular category or type for which the consumerdesires to receive location notifications.

At step 710, server computer 402 may generate a notification includingthe location of the mobile merchant and the coupon data. For example, atstep 710, location module 406 may transmit the location of the mobilemerchant, an identifier of the mobile merchant, the coupon data, andother information to notification module 408. In some embodiments, ifthe location of the mobile merchant is received as geographiccoordinates, location module 406 may first convert the location into aformat more convenient for the consumer such as an address,intersection, landmark, monument, etc., and transmit the reformattedlocation information to notification module 408. Location module 406 mayalso provide notification module 408 with various consumer preferencesstored in database 410 such as a client device address (e.g., phonenumber, e-mail address, IP address, etc.), a notification format type(e.g., e-mail, SMS, etc.), and any other suitable consumer preferences.Notification module 408 may then generate a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant. Referring back to the aboveillustration, at step 710, location module 406 may determine thatconsumer 118 prefers to receive notifications in the form of an SMSmessage. Upon transmitting this preference to notification module 408along with the location of mobile merchant 108 and the coupon data,notification module 408 may generate an SMS message indicating thatmobile merchant 108 is currently conducting transactions at Location Band that a 50% discount is being offered for pepperoni pizza slices.

At step 712, server computer 402 may transmit the notification includingthe location of the mobile merchant and the coupon data to the clientdevice. According to embodiments of the invention, the notification canbe transmitted in any suitable electronic form such as an e-mail, SMSmessage, instant message, page, telephone call, and the like. Referringback to the above illustration, at step 712, notification module 408 maytransmit the notification to client device 116 as an SMS text message,the notification informing consumer 118 that mobile merchant 108 iscurrently conducting transaction at Location A and that a 50% discountis currently being offered for pepperoni pizza slices. For example, theSMS message may include an embedded QR code representing the 50%discount that may be scanned by mobile merchant 108.

Stationary merchants may also want to be notified if a mobile merchantis conducting transactions nearby. For example, if a mobile merchantsuch as a food truck conducts transactions in the vicinity of astationary merchant such as a restaurant, the restaurant may potentiallylose sales to the food truck. In embodiments of the invention,stationary merchants may enroll in the location notification service,and be provided with notifications when one or more types or categoriesof mobile merchants are conducting transactions nearby.

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method 800 for determining alocation of a mobile merchant, and sending a notification including thelocation of the mobile merchant to a client device associated with astationary merchant according to an embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 8, at step 802, method 800 may begin by server computer 402receiving transaction data for a transaction conducted by a mobilemerchant. As described above, in embodiments of the invention, thetransaction data may be included as part of an authorization requestmessage for the transaction. To illustrate, referring back to FIG. 2,consumer 102 may initiate the transaction with mobile merchant 108 byswiping or scanning portable consumer device 104 at mobile access device106. If, for example, mobile merchant 108 is located at Location A,mobile access device 106 can generate the authorization request messageto include geographic coordinates for Location A. Mobile access device106 may then transmit the authorization request message to acquirercomputer 110, which may forward the message to server computer 402 ofpayment processing network 112.

In embodiments of the invention, at step 802, server computer 402 mayconfirm that the mobile merchant is enrolled in a location notificationservice. For example, the transaction data included in the authorizationrequest message may further include an identifier of the mobilemerchant. Upon receipt of the authorization request message,authorization module 404 may access database 410 to determine whetherthe mobile merchant is enrolled. If it is determined that the mobilemerchant is not enrolled, authorization module 404 may simply forwardthe authorization request message to issuer computer 114 forauthorization of the transaction. If, however, the mobile merchant isenrolled in the location notification service, method 800 may proceed tostep 804.

At step 804, server computer 402 may determine the location of themobile merchant based on the received transaction data. For example, ifthe transaction data is received as part of an authorization requestmessage, authorization module 404 of server computer 402 may analyze theauthorization request message to determine the location of the mobilemerchant as included in the transaction data. Referring back to theabove illustration, authorization module 404 may analyze the geographiccoordinates included in the authorization request message generated andtransmitted by access device 106, and determine that mobile merchant 108is currently conducting transactions at Location A.

At step 806, server computer 402 may determine the location ofstationary merchant. For example, location module 406 may accessdatabase 410 to determine the locations of stationary merchants enrolledin the location notification service. The locations of stationarymerchants, as stored in database 410, may be received in a number ofdifferent ways according to various embodiments of the invention. Forexample, in some embodiments, stationary merchants may provide theirlocation in the form of a street address during the enrollment process.At step 806, location module 406 may also determine whether the distancebetween the location of the mobile merchant and the location of thestationary merchant is within a threshold value. For example, during theenrollment process, the stationary merchants and/or mobile merchant mayprovide a threshold distance value (e.g., 100 feet, 100 yards, 0.25miles, etc.). Threshold distance values may also be determined byrecommended values, best practice values, default values, etc. Iflocation module 406 determines that the distance between the stationarymerchant and the mobile merchant exceeds the threshold value, in someembodiments, a notification may not be transmitted, and theauthorization request message may simply be forwarded to issuer computer114 for authorization of the transaction. If, however, the distancebetween the mobile merchant and the stationary merchant is within thethreshold value, method 800 may proceed to step 808. Referring back tothe above illustration, location module 406 may access database 410 anddetermine that stationary merchant 204 is located 50 yards away fromLocation A where mobile merchant 108 is currently conductingtransactions, and that the threshold distance value established bystationary merchant 204 during the enrollment process is 100 yards.Since the distance between stationary merchant 204 and Location A iswithin the threshold distance value, method 800 may proceed to step 808.

It should be noted that in some embodiments of the invention, a mobilemerchant category or type may also be considered when determiningwhether to transmit a location notification to the stationary merchant.For example, during enrollment, the consumer may establish that theydesire to receive location notifications only for mobile merchants thatsell food, beverages, etc. Thus, before proceeding to step 808, locationmodule 406 may access database 410 to further confirm that the mobilemerchant is of a particular category or type for which the stationarymerchant desires to receive location notifications.

At step 808, server computer 402 may generate a notification includingthe location of the mobile merchant. For example, at step 808, locationmodule 406 may transmit the location of the mobile merchant, anidentifier of the mobile merchant, and other information to notificationmodule 408. In some embodiments, if the location of the mobile merchantis received as geographic coordinates, location module 406 may firstconvert the location into a format more convenient for the consumer suchas an address, intersection, landmark, monument, etc., and transmit thereformatted location information to notification module 408. Locationmodule 406 may also provide notification module 408 with variousstationary merchant preferences stored in database 410 such as a clientdevice address (e.g., phone number, e-mail address, IP address, etc.), anotification format type (e.g., e-mail, SMS, etc.), and any othersuitable consumer preferences. Notification module 408 may then generatea notification including the location of the mobile merchant. Referringback to the above illustration, at step 808, location module 406 maydetermine that stationary merchant 204 prefers to receive notificationsin the form of an e-mail message. Upon transmitting this preference tonotification module 408 along with the location of mobile merchant 108,notification module 408 may generate an e-mail message indicating thatmobile merchant 108 is currently conducting transactions at Location A.

At step 810, server computer 402 may transmit the notification includingthe location of the mobile merchant to a client device associated withthe stationary merchant. According to embodiments of the invention, thenotification can be transmitted in any suitable electronic form such asan e-mail, SMS message, instant message, page, telephone call, and thelike. Referring back to the above illustration, at step 810,notification module 408 may transmit the notification to client device202 as an e-mail message, the notification informing stationary merchant204 that mobile merchant 108 is currently conducting transaction atLocation A.

There may also be situations where one mobile merchant may want to benotified of another mobile merchant's location. For example, a mobilemerchant that sells one type of product (e.g., food) and a mobilemerchant that sells a complimentary type of product (e.g., beverages),may want location notifications so that the mobile merchants can selltheir complementary products at the same location.

FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method 900 for determining alocation of a first mobile merchant, and sending a notificationincluding the location of the first mobile merchant to a client deviceassociated with a second mobile merchant according to an embodiment ofthe invention.

In FIG. 9, at step 902, method 900 may begin by server computer 402receiving transaction data for a transaction conducted by a first mobilemerchant. As described above, in embodiments of the invention, thetransaction data may be included as part of an authorization requestmessage for the transaction. To illustrate, referring back to FIG. 2,consumer 102 may initiate the transaction with mobile merchant 108 byswiping or scanning portable consumer device 104 at mobile access device106. If, for example, mobile merchant 108 is located at Location A,mobile access device 106 can generate the authorization request messageto include geographic coordinates for Location A. Mobile access device106 may then transmit the authorization request message to acquirercomputer 110, which may forward the message to server computer 402 ofpayment processing network 112.

In embodiments of the invention, at step 902, server computer 402 mayconfirm that the first mobile merchant is enrolled in a locationnotification service. For example, the transaction data included in theauthorization request message may further include an identifier of thefirst mobile merchant. Upon receipt of the authorization requestmessage, authorization module 404 may access database 410 to determinewhether the first mobile merchant is enrolled. If it is determined thatthe first mobile merchant is not enrolled, authorization module 404 maysimply forward the authorization request message to issuer computer 114for authorization of the transaction. If, however, the first mobilemerchant is enrolled in the location notification service, method 900may proceed to step 904.

At step 904, server computer 402 may determine the location of the firstmobile merchant based on the received transaction data. For example, ifthe transaction data is received as part of an authorization requestmessage, authorization module 404 of server computer 402 may analyze theauthorization request message to determine the location of the firstmobile merchant as included in the transaction data. Referring back tothe above illustration, authorization module 404 may analyze thegeographic coordinates included in the authorization request messagegenerated and transmitted by access device 106, and determine thatmobile merchant 108 is currently conducting transactions at Location A.

At step 906, server computer 402 may determine the location of a clientdevice associated with a second mobile merchant. For example, locationmodule 406 may access database 410 to determine the location of a clientdevice associated with a second mobile merchant that is enrolled in thelocation notification service. In some embodiments, location module 406may identify the second mobile merchant as being part of a socialnetwork including the first mobile merchant. The location of a clientdevice associated with the second mobile merchant, as stored in database410, may be received in a number of different ways according to variousembodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the client deviceassociated with the second mobile merchant may transmit or “push” itslocation to server computer 402. In some embodiments, server computermay 402 transmit a request to the client device for the device'slocation, i.e. by a “pull” process. In response, the client device maytransmit its location to server computer 402. In either case, thelocation may be transmitted by the client device associated with thesecond mobile merchant periodically, based on a schedule established bythe second mobile merchant, in response to the second mobile merchantinteracting with an application running on the client device, or by anyother suitable mechanism according to embodiments of the invention.

At step 906, location module 406 may also determine whether the distancebetween the location of the first mobile merchant and the location ofthe second mobile merchant is within a threshold value. For example,during the enrollment process, the first or second mobile merchant mayprovide a threshold distance value (e.g., 250 yards, 0.25 miles, 0.5miles, 1 mile, etc.). Threshold distance values may also be determinedby recommended values, best practice values, default values, etc. Iflocation module 406 determines that the distance between the first andsecond mobile merchant exceeds the threshold value, in some embodiments,a notification may not be transmitted, and the authorization requestmessage may simply be forwarded to issuer computer 114 for authorizationof the transaction. If, however, the distance between the first andsecond mobile merchants is within the threshold value, method 900 mayproceed to step 908. Referring back to the above illustration, locationmodule 406 may access database 410 and determine that client device 206(and hence mobile merchant 208) is located 0.7 miles away from LocationA where mobile merchant 108 is currently conducting transactions, andthat the threshold distance value established by mobile merchant 208during the enrollment process is 1 mile. Since the distance betweenmobile merchant 208 and Location A is within the threshold distancevalue, method 900 may proceed to step 908.

As explained above, mobile merchants may want notifications transmittedto other mobile merchants that sell complimentary products. Inembodiments of the invention, a mobile merchant category or type for thesecond mobile merchant may also be considered when determining whetherto transmit a location notification to the stationary merchant. Forexample, during enrollment, the second mobile merchant may establishthat they desire to receive location notifications only for mobilemerchants that sell food, beverages, etc. Thus, before proceeding tostep 908, location module 406 may access database 410 to further confirmthat the second mobile merchant is of a particular category or typedesired by the first mobile merchant to ensure that the first and secondmobile merchants sell complementary (and not competing) products.

At step 908, server computer 402 may generate a notification includingthe location of the first mobile merchant. For example, at step 908,location module 406 may transmit the location of the first mobilemerchant, an identifier of the first mobile merchant, and otherinformation to notification module 408. In some embodiments, if thelocation of the first mobile merchant is received as geographiccoordinates, location module 406 may first convert the location into aformat more convenient for the consumer such as an address,intersection, landmark, monument, etc., and transmit the reformattedlocation information to notification module 408. Location module 406 mayalso provide notification module 408 with various preferences for thesecond mobile merchant stored in database 410 such as a client deviceaddress (e.g., phone number, e-mail address, IP address, etc.), anotification format type (e.g., e-mail, SMS, etc.), and any othersuitable consumer preferences. Notification module 408 may then generatea notification including the location of the first mobile merchant.Referring back to the above illustration, at step 908, location module406 may determine that mobile merchant 208 prefers to receivenotifications in the form of an SMS message. Upon transmitting thispreference to notification module 408 along with the location of mobilemerchant 108, notification module 408 may generate an SMS messageindicating that mobile merchant 108 is currently conducting transactionsat Location A.

At step 910, server computer 402 may transmit the notification includingthe location of the first mobile merchant to a client device associatedwith the second mobile merchant. According to embodiments of theinvention, the notification can be transmitted in any suitableelectronic form such as an e-mail, SMS message, instant message, page,telephone call, and the like. Referring back to the above illustration,at step 910, notification module 408 may transmit the notification toclient device 206 as an SMS text message, the notification informingmobile merchant 208 that mobile merchant 108 is currently conductingtransaction at Location A. In response, mobile merchant 208 may relocateto Location A to sell its complimentary products in collaboration withmobile merchant 108.

In some circumstances, mobile merchants may also want to provide aconsolidated loyalty program. For example, one mobile merchant may be atLocation A on Mondays and Wednesdays, while another mobile merchant maybe at Location A on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The mobilemerchants may collaborate to provide a single coupon that can be appliedto transactions at either mobile merchant. Thus, in embodiments of theinvention, consolidated coupon data can be transmitted to a consumer aspart of a notification including a mobile merchant's location, theconsolidated coupon data relating to a discount or other benefit thatcan be redeemed at either mobile merchant. Similarly, a consolidatedcoupon may be redeemable at both a mobile merchant and one or morestationary merchants.

FIGS. 10A-10B show exemplary notifications according to embodiments ofthe invention. As explained above, notifications can be transmitted inany suitable electronic form such as an e-mail, SMS message, instantmessage, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 10A, a mobile merchant location notification 1000′ mayinclude a number of different fields according to embodiments of theinvention. Such fields may include, for example, a mobile merchantidentifier 1002 (e.g., mobile merchant name, MW, DBA, or the like), amobile merchant category 1004 (e.g., food, dessert, beverage, souvenirs,specific goods or services for sale, or the like), a mobile merchantlocation 1006 (e.g., an address, intersection, landmark, monument,geographic coordinates, or the like), a date and time 1008 (e.g., thedate and time the notification was generated, the date and time of themost recent transaction conducted by the mobile merchant, etc.), and anyother suitable field.

As shown in FIG. 10B, a mobile merchant location/coupon notification1000″ may include fields 1002-1006 in addition to a coupon field 1010.In embodiments of the invention, coupon field 1010 may include coupondata identifying a discount or other benefit that may be applied to atransaction at the mobile merchant. For example, the coupon data mayinclude a QR code or bar code that can be scanned at the mobilemerchant, an image that can be displayed to the mobile merchant, or thelike.

Embodiments of the invention provide a number of advantages. Asdescribed above, mobile merchants often “set up shop” at differentlocations on a day-to-day basis. Consequently, awareness by potentialcustomers of a merchant's location can be an important factor in drivingsales. By providing a mechanism for notifying consumers of a mobilemerchant's location in real-time, many consumers may make purchases atthe mobile merchant that would have otherwise been unaware of themerchant's location, thereby increasing sales revenue for the mobilemerchant. By enabling merchants to further provide dynamic andinstantaneous coupons, sales revenue may be further increased, and inthe case of perishable goods, such coupons may reduce the amount ofunsold goods that must be discarded at the end of the day. Moreover, byproviding notifications to stationary merchants that a mobile merchantis conducting transactions nearby, the stationary merchant can takeremedial measures to prevent losing sales to the mobile merchant. Byproviding notifications of one mobile merchant's location to anothermobile merchant, two mobile merchants that sell complimentary productsmay collaborate by selling their products at the same location. Further,by utilizing an existing payment processing network to facilitate thetransmission of location notifications to consumers, stationarymerchants, and other mobile merchants, substantial changes to existingpayment processing infrastructure may not be required according tovarious embodiments of the invention, and thus both mobile andstationary merchants may be provided with a convenient and efficient wayto increase sales revenue without incurring the costs associated withhardware, software, and other payment processing infrastructure changes.

III. Exemplary Portable Consumer Devices and Computer Apparatuses

FIG. 11A-11B shows show block diagrams of exemplary portable consumerdevices according to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 11A shows a block diagram of a phone 104′ that can be used inembodiments of the invention. The phone 104′ can be both a notificationdevice that can receive alert messages, as well as a portable devicethat can be used to make payments. The exemplary phone 104′ may comprisea computer readable medium 104(b) and a body 104(h) as shown in FIG.11A. The computer readable medium 104(b) may be in the form of (or maybe included in) a memory that stores transaction data (e.g., issueraccount numbers, loyalty provider account numbers, etc.) and may be inany suitable form including a magnetic stripe, a memory chip, etc. Thememory may store information such as financial information, transitinformation (e.g., as in a subway or train pass), access information(e.g., as in access badges), etc. Financial information may includeinformation such as bank account information, loyalty accountinformation (e.g., a loyalty account number), an issuing bankidentification number (BIN), credit or debit card number information,account balance information, an expiration date, consumer informationsuch as the account holder's name, date of birth, etc. Any of thisinformation may be transmitted by the phone 104′.

In some embodiments, information in the memory may also be in the formof data tracks that are traditionally associated with credit cards. Suchtracks may include Track 1 and Track 2. Track 1 (“International AirTransport Association”) may store more information than Track 2, and maycontain the cardholder's name as well as account number and otherdiscretionary data. This track is sometimes used by the airlines whensecuring reservations with a credit card. Track 2 (“American BankingAssociation”) is currently most commonly used. This is the track that isread by ATMs and credit card checkers. The ABA (American BankingAssociation) designed the specifications of this track and all worldbanks abide by it. It contains the cardholder's account, encrypted PIN,plus other discretionary data.

The phone 104′ may further include a contactless element 104(g), whichmay be implemented in the form of a semiconductor chip (or other datastorage element) with an associated wireless transfer (e.g., datatransmission) element, such as an antenna. The contactless element104(g) may be associated with (e.g., embedded within) the phone 104′ anddata or control instructions transmitted via a cellular network may beapplied to the contactless element 104(g) by means of a contactlesselement interface (not shown). The contactless element interface mayfunction to permit the exchange of data and/or control instructionsbetween the mobile device circuitry (and hence the cellular network) andthe optional contactless element 104(g).

The contactless element 104(g) may be capable of transferring andreceiving data using a near field communications (“NFC”) capability (ornear field communications medium) in accordance with a standardizedprotocol or data transfer mechanism (e.g., ISO 14443/NFC). Near fieldcommunications capability is a short-range communications capability,such as RFID, Bluetooth™, infra-red, or other data transfer capabilitythat can be used to exchange data between the phone 104′ and aninterrogation device. Thus, the phone 104′ may be capable ofcommunicating and transferring data and/or control instructions via botha cellular network and near field communications capability.

The phone 104′ may also include a processor 104(c) (e.g., amicroprocessor) for processing the functions of the phone 104′ and adisplay 104(d) to allow a consumer to see the phone numbers and otherinformation and messages. The phone 104′ may further include inputelements 104(e) to allow a user to input information into the device, aspeaker 104(f) to allow the user to hear voice communication, music,etc., and a microphone 104(i) to allow the user to transmit her voicethrough the phone 104′. The phone 104′ may also include an antenna104(a) for wireless data transfer (e.g., data transmission).

If the portable consumer device is in the form of a debit, credit, orsmartcard, the portable consumer device may also optionally havefeatures such as magnetic strips. Such devices can operate in either acontact or contactless mode.

An example of a portable consumer device 104″ in the form of a card isshown in FIG. 11B. FIG. 11B shows a plastic substrate 104(m). Acontactless element 104(o) for interfacing with an access device may bepresent on or embedded within the plastic substrate 104(m). Consumerinformation 104(p) such as an account number, expiration date, and username may be printed or embossed on the card. Also, a magnetic stripe104(n) may also be on the plastic substrate 104(m). The portableconsumer device 104″ may also comprise a microprocessor and/or memorychips with user data stored in them.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the portable consumer device 104″ may include botha magnetic stripe 104(n) and a contactless element 104(o). In otherembodiments, both the magnetic stripe 104(n) and the contactless element104(o) may be in the portable consumer device 104″. In otherembodiments, either the magnetic stripe 104(n) or the contactlesselement 104(o) may be present in the portable consumer device 104″.

FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of a computer apparatus according to anembodiment of the invention.

The various participants and elements may operate one or more computerapparatuses (e.g., server computers) to facilitate the functionsdescribed herein, and any of the elements in the figures may use anysuitable number of subsystems to facilitate the functions describedherein. Examples of such subsystems or components are shown in FIG. 12.The subsystems shown in FIG. 12 are interconnected via a system bus1275. Additional subsystems such as a printer 1274, keyboard 1278, fixeddisk 1279 (or other memory comprising computer readable media), monitor1276, which is coupled to display adapter 1282, and others are shown.Peripherals and input/output (I/O) devices, which couple to I/Ocontroller 1271, can be connected to the computer system by any numberof means known in the art, such as serial port 1277. For example, serialport 1277 or external interface 1281 can be used to connect the computerapparatus to a wide area network such as the Internet, a mouse inputdevice, or a scanner. The interconnection via system bus 1275 may allowthe central processor 1273 to communicate with each subsystem and tocontrol the execution of instructions from the system memory 1272 or thefixed disk 1279, as well as the exchange of information betweensubsystems. The system memory 1272 and/or the fixed disk 1279 may embodya computer readable medium.

Further, while the present invention has been described using aparticular combination of hardware and software in the form of controllogic and programming code and instructions, it should be recognizedthat other combinations of hardware and software are also within thescope of the present invention. The present invention may be implementedonly in hardware, or only in software, or using combinations thereof.

The software components or functions described in this application maybe implemented as software code to be executed by one or more processorsusing any suitable computer language such as, for example, Java, C++ orPerl using, for example, conventional or object-oriented techniques. Thesoftware code may be stored as a series of instructions, or commands ona computer-readable medium, such as a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), a magnetic medium such as a hard-drive or afloppy disk, or an optical medium such as a CD-ROM. Any suchcomputer-readable medium may also reside on or within a singlecomputational apparatus, and may be present on or within differentcomputational apparatuses within a system or network.

The present invention can be implemented in the form of control logic insoftware or hardware or a combination of both. The control logic may bestored in an information storage medium as a plurality of instructionsadapted to direct an information processing device to perform a set ofsteps disclosed in embodiments of the present invention. Based on thedisclosure and teachings provided herein, a person of ordinary skill inthe art will appreciate other ways and/or methods to implement thepresent invention.

It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein arefor illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changesin light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and areto be included within the spirit and purview of this application andscope of the appended claims. All publications, patents, and patentapplications cited in this patent are hereby incorporated by referencefor all purposes.

One or more features from any embodiment may be combined with one ormore features of any other embodiment without departing from the scopeof the disclosure.

In embodiments, any of the entities described herein may be embodied bya computer that performs any or all of the functions and stepsdisclosed.

Any recitation of “a”, “an” or “the” is intended to mean “one or more”unless specifically indicated to the contrary.

The above description is illustrative and is not restrictive. Manyvariations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in theart upon review of the disclosure. The scope of the invention should,therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description,but instead should be determined with reference to the pending claimsalong with their full scope or equivalents.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A system comprising: one or more processors; a location module configured to determine a distance between a merchant access device and a client device, wherein the location module is further configured to determine whether the distance is within a threshold value; and a notification module configured to produce image data for display if the location module determines that the distance is within the threshold value.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the image data includes image data for a bar code.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein the image data includes image data for a QR code.
 24. The system of claim 21, wherein the client device is a mobile phone.
 25. The system of claim 21, wherein the image data is displayed on a display screen.
 26. The system of claim 21, wherein the merchant access device is a point of sale device.
 27. The system of claim 21, wherein the threshold value is 100 meters or less.
 28. The system of claim 21, wherein the merchant access device is operated by a mobile merchant.
 29. The system of claim 21, wherein the notification module is configured to transmit the image data in a notification to the client device.
 30. The system of claim 21, wherein the merchant access device is capable of communicating with a payment processing network.
 31. A method comprising: determining, by a location module, a distance between a merchant access device and a client device, wherein the location module is further configured to determine whether the distance is within a threshold value; and producing, by a notification module, image data for display if the location module determines that the distance is within the threshold value.
 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the image data includes image data for a bar code.
 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the image data includes image data for a QR code.
 34. The method of claim 31, wherein the client device is a mobile phone.
 35. The method of claim 31, further comprising: displaying an image corresponding to the image data on the client device.
 36. The method of claim 31, wherein the merchant access device is a point of sale device.
 37. The method of claim 31, wherein the threshold value is 100 meters or less.
 38. The method of claim 31, wherein the merchant access device is operated by a mobile merchant.
 39. The method of claim 31, wherein the notification module is configured to transmit the image data in a notification to the client device.
 40. The method of claim 31, wherein the merchant access device is capable of communicating with a payment processing network. 